Heating, Ventilation, or Air Conditioning (HVAC) systems are usually purchased and installed, and then used for many years. Thus, although technology advances and better, more economic and more efficient HVAC systems become available, many older units are still being used, working in suboptimal manner, thus wasting energy and exerting higher cost on their owners.
Some units may be provided with a way to update their control algorithm, but such units are rare, and updating is cumbersome. Otherwise, the control algorithm may only be changed by replacing the whole unit.
Some solutions, such as using a universal remote control, replicate the function of the dedicated remote control of the HVAC unit. However, it is difficult to replace the control algorithm without having direct access to the unit's control parameters such as compressor on/off, fan speed, or the like, or to measurements sensed by the unit, such as temperature. Thus, when cooling, one could set the HVAC target temperature, for example, to 30° C. for stopping the compressor, and to 16° C. for starting it (and vice versa when heating), but this will generally not provide optimal results.
In addition, since the remote control is designed to be used by a user, the HVAC unit usually makes an audible confirmation sound when a command is transmitted to the HVAC unit, in order to provide an indication to the user. Thus, using the remote control commands to replace the control algorithm of the HVAC will cause the generation of such sound for each command, which may annoy the user, particularly when the user is asleep.
There is thus a need for a method and system for replacing the control of an HVAC system, to provide a more pleasant and more energy-efficient behavior, without replacing the whole unit, and without making annoying sounds.